Decatur, Revenue, Santa Fe, Geneva Loop via Shelf Lake in San Isabel National Forest, CO

Hike Decatur, Revenue, Santa Fe, Geneva Loop via Shelf Lake San Isabel National Forest, CO

Class 2 13.8 miles 5600 gain 6-8 hrs Loop Sep 30, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Decatur, Revenue, Santa Fe, Geneva Loop via Shelf Lake GPX Track

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I've spent a bit of time in the Grays Peak region of the Colorado Front Range this year, and this felt like a good finale to wrap up the tall peaks of the area before the incoming rain/snow. It ended up being really enjoyable. This route goes from Decatur Mountain to Geneva Peak, passing Revenue Mountain, Silver Mountain, and Santa Fe Peak along the traverse. I also passed over Landslide Peak, a bump along the ridge after Geneva Peak.

Starting from the Shelf Lake Trailhead (note that this is the "new" trailhead – the old Shelf Lake Trailhead was farther north and no longer exists), head up to Shelf Lake and continue up the steep slope to get to Decatur Mountain. Check out the fairly extensive ridge leading to Geneva Peak in the distance, and then head to Revenue Mountain, Silver Mountain, and then Santa Fe Peak, some tiny sections of Class 2 along the way. Overall, it's just a smooth walk along a beautiful alpine mountaintop ridgeline. You pass a couple of old mines on Silver Mountain, and can look south toward a dirt forest road where you'll likely see ATVers headed to the Geneva Creek Mine. A dirt road also leads along part of the ridgeline around Santa Fe Peak, and a not-so-obvious social trail leads to Sullivan Mountain and then out of nowhere, a nice trail leads up through the rocky easy Class 2 talus to Geneva Peak and then onward to the bump that is Landslide Peak. From here, you can decide to try to drop down to a small tarn below and follow the dirt road back to the Shelf Lake Trailhead, or (and this is what I did and recommend) continue along the ridgeline east from Landslide Peak on a very pretty gradual slope before hitting treeline. I was initially concerned I'd be bushwhacking through brush for a half mile to get down, but the trees were pretty sparse and I did have to struggle at all. However, I do recommend taking the route pictured in my map, because there are definitely cliffs and overly steep sections any other way off the ridge. The route I went had a couple of steep grassy sections, but otherwise it was just a walk down through some trees.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Decatur Mountain
12890 ft
450 rise
2
Revenue Mountain
12889 ft
449 rise
3
Silver Mountain
12849 ft
209 rise
4
Santa Fe Peak
13180 ft
460 rise
5
Sullivan Mountain
13134 ft
254 rise
6
Geneva Peak
13266 ft
906 rise
7
Landslide Peak
13238 ft
118 rise

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Starting along the Shelf Lake Trail.
Starting along the Shelf Lake Trail.
Image 1 from gallery
Image 2 from gallery
Along the Shelf Lake Trail - that's Argentine Peak in the center.
Along the Shelf Lake Trail - that's Argentine Peak in the center.
Looking back along the Shelf Lake Trail, Square Top Mountain on the left.
Looking back along the Shelf Lake Trail, Square Top Mountain on the left.
Image 5 from gallery
Shelf Lake.
Shelf Lake.
Heading up the slope toward Decatur Mountain, looking down toward Shelf Lake. Argentine Peak left, Square Top Mountain right.
Heading up the slope toward Decatur Mountain, looking down toward Shelf Lake. Argentine Peak left, Square Top Mountain right.
Image 8 from gallery
Along the ridge to Decatur Mountain.
Along the ridge to Decatur Mountain.
Looking toward Geneva Peak (center) and Revenue Mountain (right), with some small lakes below them down there.
Looking toward Geneva Peak (center) and Revenue Mountain (right), with some small lakes below them down there.
Almost at Decatur Mountain summit, looking back toward Shelf Lake.
Almost at Decatur Mountain summit, looking back toward Shelf Lake.
From Decatur Mountain summit looking toward the ridge - Revenue Mountain is next, Geneva Peak far back left.
From Decatur Mountain summit looking toward the ridge - Revenue Mountain is next, Geneva Peak far back left.
Close-up of the ridge.
Close-up of the ridge.
Looking north toward Grays Peak (left), and the crazy-colored Peru Creek below.
Looking north toward Grays Peak (left), and the crazy-colored Peru Creek below.
Almost at the summit of Revenue Mountain, looking back toward Decatur Mountain.
Almost at the summit of Revenue Mountain, looking back toward Decatur Mountain.
Revenue Mountain summit looking southwest toward the ridge to come.
Revenue Mountain summit looking southwest toward the ridge to come.
Heading down from Silver Mountain (just a bump along the ridge), Santa Fe Peak (right) and Geneva Peak (left).
Heading down from Silver Mountain (just a bump along the ridge), Santa Fe Peak (right) and Geneva Peak (left).
Heading up to Santa Fe Peak.
Heading up to Santa Fe Peak.
Along Santa Fe Peak's summit ridge, looking back toward the Geneva Creek Mine (right bottom), and Silver Mountain (left).
Along Santa Fe Peak's summit ridge, looking back toward the Geneva Creek Mine (right bottom), and Silver Mountain (left).
Santa Fe Peak up there somewhere.
Santa Fe Peak up there somewhere.
Looking back.
Looking back.
Short section along a dirt road to Santa Fe Peak's summit.
Short section along a dirt road to Santa Fe Peak's summit.
Looking back along the ridgeline, Grays and Torreys in the distance.
Looking back along the ridgeline, Grays and Torreys in the distance.
Continuing onward to Sullivan Mountain (the bump ahead), and Geneva Peak on the far right.
Continuing onward to Sullivan Mountain (the bump ahead), and Geneva Peak on the far right.
Looking back on the way to Sullivan Mountain toward Santa Fe Peak.
Looking back on the way to Sullivan Mountain toward Santa Fe Peak.
Looking south toward Geneva Peak from Sullivan Mountain, a small lake on the left.
Looking south toward Geneva Peak from Sullivan Mountain, a small lake on the left.
Close-up of the social trail up Geneva Peak.
Close-up of the social trail up Geneva Peak.
Along the route up Geneva Peak, looking back laong the ridge.
Along the route up Geneva Peak, looking back laong the ridge.
Image 29 from gallery
Geneva Peak, looking toward Landslide Peak and the ridgeline I'll be going down.
Geneva Peak, looking toward Landslide Peak and the ridgeline I'll be going down.
Close-up of the little lake at the end of the Geneva Creek dirt road. Maybe you can find a way down from here toward the lake and follow the road back. I chose to follow the ridgeline instead.
Close-up of the little lake at the end of the Geneva Creek dirt road. Maybe you can find a way down from here toward the lake and follow the road back. I chose to follow the ridgeline instead.
Headed down the grassy ridgeline from Landslide Peak.
Headed down the grassy ridgeline from Landslide Peak.
Looking back toward Landslide/Geneva, Santa Fe in the distance.
Looking back toward Landslide/Geneva, Santa Fe in the distance.
Image 34 from gallery
Image 35 from gallery
Image 36 from gallery
Entering the treeline.
Entering the treeline.
The bushwhacking is minimal - the trees are fairly spread out, making this an easy off-trail descent.
The bushwhacking is minimal - the trees are fairly spread out, making this an easy off-trail descent.
Just happened to end up at a log bridge someone put here, leading to a campground on the side of the road.
Just happened to end up at a log bridge someone put here, leading to a campground on the side of the road.
Following the road back to the Shelf Lake Trailhead.
Following the road back to the Shelf Lake Trailhead.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!